Hot carbon densities in the exosphere of Mars

Theoretical results of hot carbon densities in the exosphere of Mars are pr esented. The calculation is a two-step process: First a two-stream transpor t code is used to solve for the distribution function at the exobase, and t hen these results are used in a Liouville equation solution above the exoba se. It is found that photodissociation of carbon monoxide is the largest so urce of hot carbon atoms in the upper atmosphere of Mars, larger than disso ciative recombination of CO+ and much larger than the creation of hot carbo n through collisions with hot oxygen atoms. It is also found that the high solar activity densities are about an order of magnitude larger than those for the low solar activity case.